Argyranthemum plant named ‘Cobeer’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant named ‘Cobeer’, characterized by its compact, uniform, upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; glossy dark green foliage; freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences per plant; fully double inflorescence form; and purple-colored ray florets that fade to pink with subsequent development.

Botanical classification/cultivar denomination: Argyranthemum frutescens cultivar Cobeer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant, botanically known as Argyranthemum frutescens and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Cobeer’.

The new Argyranthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the program is to create and develop new compact Argyranthemum cultivars with numerous inflorescences with attractive ray floret coloration.

The new Argyranthemum originated from a cross by the Inventor in 1995 of the Argyranthemum frutescens cultivar Summer Stars Pink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,939, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Argyranthemum frutescens identified as code number X95.1395.1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Argyranthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia in 1996. The selection of the new Argyranthemum was based on its fully double inflorescences and purple-colored ray florets.

Asexual reproduction of the new Argyranthemum by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia, since October, 1996, has shown that the unique features of this new Argyranthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Argyranthemum has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of ‘Cobeer’ and distinguish the new Argyranthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Compact, uniform, upright and mounded plant habit.

2. Freely branching habit, dense and bushy plants.

3. Glossy dark green foliage.

4. Freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences per plant.

5. Fully double inflorescence form.

6. Purple-colored ray florets that fade to pink with subsequent development.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Summer Stars Pink, in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Argyranthemum are more compact than plants of the cultivar Summer Stars Pink.

2. Inflorescences of plants of the new Argyranthemum are fully double in form whereas inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Summer Stars Pink are semi-double in form.

3. Plants of the new Argyranthemum have purple-colored ray florets whereas plants of the cultivar Summer Stars Pink have pink-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of the male parent, the selection X95.1395.1, in the following characteristics:

1. Inflorescences of plants of the new Argyranthemum are fully double in form whereas inflorescences of plants of the selection X95.1395.1 are anemone in form.

2. Plants of the new Argyranthemum have purple-colored ray florets whereas plants of the selection X95.1395.1 have pink-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Summer Melody, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,763. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Argyranthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Summer Melody in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Argyranthemum were more compact than plants of the cultivar Summer Melody.

2. Plants of the new Argyranthemum had smaller leaves than plants of the cultivar Summer Melody.

3. Plants of the new Argyranthemum had smaller inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Summer Melody.

4. Ray florets of plants of the new Argyranthemum were darker in color than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Summer Melody.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Dahlia Pink, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of the new Argyranthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Dahlia Pink in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Argyranthemum were much more compact than plants of the cultivar Dahlia Pink.

2. Plants of the new Argyranthemum had smaller inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Dahlia Pink.

3. Ray florets of plants of the new Argyranthemum were darker in color than ray florets of plants of the cultivar Dahlia Pink.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Argyranthemum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of three typical flowering plants of ‘Cobeer’ grown in a 21-5-cm container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of typical leaves, flower buds and inflorescences of ‘Cobeer’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and averaged measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif., in an outdoor nursery during the late winter and early spring with day temperatures about 15° to 24° C., night temperatures about 10° to 19° C., and light levels about 5,000 foot-candles. Plants were grown for 14 weeks in 21.5-cm containers with three plants per container. Plants were pinched one time about five weeks after planting. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Argyranthemum frutescens cultivar Cobeer.

Parentage:

Female or seed parent.—Argyranthemum frutescens cultivar Summer Stars Pink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,939.

Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Argyranthemum frutescens identified as code number X95.1395.1, not patented.

Propagation:

Type—Terminal vegetative cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at 20° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 21 days at 20° C.

Root description.—Fine, fibrous and freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Inverted triangle; compact, uniform, upright and mounded plant form with dense foliage and inflorescences held above the foliage on long peduncles. Vigorous growth habit.

Plant height.—About 45 cm.

Plant width.—All three plants: About 82 cm. Single plant: About 37.5 cm.

Lateral branch description.—Quantity per plant: About 11. Length: About 38 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144B.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Quantity per lateral branch: About 18. Length: About 5.9 cm. Width: About 3.5 cm. Shape: Pinnatifid, deeply divided. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Serrate. Texture, both surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Parallel. Petiole length: About 1.7 cm. Petiole diameter: About 4 mm. Petiole texture: Smooth. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 138A. Young foliage, lower surface: 147B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A; glossy. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 147B. Petiole, upper surface: 147B to 147C. Petiole, lower surface: 147C.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.—Fully double composite inflorescence form with ligulate ray florets. Inflorescences held upright on terminal and axillary peduncles. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences persistent. Inflorescences not fragrant. Inflorescences last about seven to ten days on the plant.

Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower from spring to early fall; plants flower continuous during this period.

Quantity of inflorescences.—Very freely flowering; about 20 flower buds and inflorescences per lateral branch and more than 200 flower buds and inflorescences per plant.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 2.8 cm. Depth (height): About 1.1 cm. Diameter of disc: Fully double inflorescence form, no disc florets observed. Receptacle diameter: About 1.1 cm. Receptacle height: About 5 mm.

Flower buds.—Height: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Shape: Roughly spherical. Color: 70D.

Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 180 arranged in more than 15 whorls. Shape: Ligulate. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, satiny. Aspect: Initially upright; when mature, about 90° from vertical, then reflexing. Color: When opening, upper surface: 82C to 82D. When opening, lower surface: 75C. Fully opened, upper surface: 75B; fading to 75D with subsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface: 75D.

Disc florets.—No disc florets observed.

Involucral bracts.—Quantity: About 20. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color: Upper surface: 144C. Lower surface: 144A.

Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to about 45° from vertical. Length: First peduncle: About 9.5 cm. Fourth peduncle: About 17 cm. Seventh peduncle: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None observed. Gynoecium: Quantity per floret: One. Pistil length: About 6 mm. Stigma shape: Two-parted. Stigma color: 12A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: 144D. Ovary color: 157A.

Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Argyranthemum has not been observed on plants grown under commercial conditions.

Temperature/weather tolerance: Plants of the new Argyranthemum have been observed to be tolerant to rain, wind and to temperatures from −1° C. to 30° C. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant named ‘Cobeer’, as illustrated and described. 